Forward Deployed Engineer

ChallengeA pre-funded venture needed a full operational platform for live training delivery, built from zero, with no existing team and OpEx kept minimal through validation.

ActionArchitected and built the end-to-end platform alone (training operations, participant management, workflow coordination); added AI/LLM-driven automation workflows and a cost-aware cloud architecture; worked directly with the stakeholder to turn ambiguous requirements into shipped features.

ResultShipped a scalable operational platform on minimal OpEx; automation reduced manual overhead and improved process consistency. Stack: TypeScript/Node, React, PostgreSQL, Docker, LLM tooling (Claude, OpenAI, Gemini).

ChallengeFragmented, manual operations across academic and administrative teams, with environment drift slowing every release.

ActionBuilt a centralised platform (Node.js, PostgreSQL, React) for enrollment and operational workflows; introduced Docker standardisation and CI/CD; engineered automated backup and recovery with RTO < 5 minutes.

ResultReduced deployment cycle time ~90% and eliminated environment drift; improved reliability, performance, and delivery velocity across academic and operational teams.

ChallengeStartups needed senior technical leadership and production systems without a full-time CTO, founded after relocating overseas.

ActionDesigned and built a financial modelling platform, translating complex decision logic into production systems; embedded as fractional CTO / VP-Engineering, working inside each team rather than advising from outside; established architecture standards, CI/CD, and cloud infrastructure (Azure, NGINX); ran architecture audits for Node.js / React platforms.

ResultDelivered scalable, performance- and cost-tuned systems; embedded delivery frameworks that outlasted each engagement.

ChallengeA global platform program, ISO 27001 and the Future Ready Platform (ephemeral QA environments), was running 6 weeks behind schedule.

ActionRecovered the program and restored delivery alignment as technical 2IC to the VP Engineering; chaired the Enterprise Architecture Board across ~50 engineers in 10 locations; architected zero-downtime CI/CD (Azure DevOps + AWS); introduced ephemeral QA environments and helped transition to a monorepo.

ResultDelivered on time with ~300% QA throughput increase; acted as final technical authority during the ISO 27001 audit.

ChallengePlanned time out for family following the Mobecom acquisition, while staying current on production engineering.

ActionDelivered short-term, high-impact engineering contracts.

ResultReferred into Secure Code Warrior to help resolve critical engineering hurdles on a delayed global program.

ChallengeAn outsourced overseas vendor gave 14 days’ notice to shut down the Ruby-on-Rails platform serving 200K clients, amid a commercial dispute, with the business weighing closure.

ActionJoined as Technical PM and was promoted to CTO within six weeks; secured the company’s data, then hired and led a small team to rebuild the platform on Node.js, owning architecture and code review. As Group Head of Technology, re-architected the group’s AWS infrastructure (Endless Rewards, 5M users) to demand-based auto-scaling.

ResultRelaunched with zero downtime as the old platform went dark; cut infrastructure spend ~90% (~$5.5K → ~$500/month) at 5M-user scale; the group grew to 6M+ users and ~$30M revenue and was acquired.

ChallengeA hybrid mobile learning platform for the University of Sydney needed delivery in 6 weeks against hard deadlines.

ActionDelivered the platform on time; coordinated distributed onshore and offshore teams.

ResultShipped part of an LMS used by 9 major Australian universities.

ChallengeStartups needed production systems delivered end-to-end, from architecture through deployment.

ActionDesigned and built web platforms (.NET, SQL Server, Node.js, Angular); engagements delivered through Code Geeks included Yonder (CTO, aged-care platform, 2014) and The Hive (product delivery, 2015).

ResultDelivered production systems for multiple startups as an independent full-stack consultancy.

ChallengeInfrastructure resilience across finance, education, healthcare, manufacturing, and media.

ActionDelivered and maintained 300+ network and infrastructure implementations; transitioned from enterprise infrastructure into full-stack software development.

ResultEstablished the systematic infrastructure rigor that underpins modern SaaS architecture work.